Device for distributing substances

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for distributing substances. The inventive device comprises a distribution container ( 1 ) for receiving the substance in question, said container having a closing unit ( 3 ) which is provided with a canula ( 11 ) for the substance to be distributed, the outer end ( 15 ) of said canula protruding from the closing unit ( 3 ). The inventive device is also provided with a safety device ( 5, 17 ) which can alternate between a protective state in which it covers the outer end ( 15 ) of the canula ( 11 ), and a user state for the distribution of the substance from the canula ( 11 ).

[0001] The invention relates to a device for distributing substances. A primary, but not exclusive application of the device consists in delivering a desired volume of a medium, especially a liquid medium, into a receptacle. Preferably the medium to be delivered is an additive which is introduced for example as an admixture of an active ingredient into a fluid which is located in the receptacle. The receptacle can be an infusion container with contents with which the medium is to be admixed as an additional active ingredient.

[0002] For this purpose the delivery device is conventionally a syringe with a hypodermic needle which punctures the perforable closure or plug of the receptacle, for example an infusion container, after which by pressing the syringe the medium is injected into the receptacle. In this process the preparatory working step of filling the syringe is necessary, in which the desired amount of the medium from a storage container is transferred into the syringe or the syringe is filled from a conventional vial which contains the measured dose of the pertinent medium. These working steps of transfer are on the one hand time-consuming, because the hypodermic needle and syringe must be unwrapped, the hypodermic needle mounted on the syringe, the vial opened or punctured and the syringe must be drawn up. On the other hand, in these measures there is a major risk of contamination of the medium. Another problem in these delivery devices is the danger of injury to which the user is exposed during handling and which may be caused by the tip of the hypodermic needle. In this respect, in the known delivery device which is addressed in document U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,618, there is a safety device which has a safety body which covers the end of the hypodermic needle and which can be moved from the effective protective state into the inactive state which is intended for delivery of the medium from the hypodermic needle. For this purpose the safety body can be pushed along the hypodermic needle between an advanced protective position on the end of the hypodermic needle and the retracted state of use.

[0003] The disadvantage in this known device is that there are no provisions against unintentional movement into the position of use, in which the end of the hypodermic needle projects exposed. The known device can only be safeguarded after completed use by fitting the tip of the hypodermic needle in a receiving recess of the safety body after it has been advanced beyond the tip of the hypodermic needle after use of the device. The known device is therefore unsatisfactory from the standpoint of safety.

[0004] On the basis of this state of the art the object of the invention is to devise a device which offers increased safety against injuries during transport, storage and use.

[0005] This object is achieved as claimed in the invention by a delivery device which has the feature of claim 1.

[0006] In that as claimed in the invention there is a protective cover which can be removed from the delivery container and which encloses the end of the hypodermic needle, not only is the danger of unintentionally pushing back the safety body of the safety device avoided, but in addition increased protection against contamination is achieved.

[0007] If the outer end of the hypodermic needle is designed to penetrate the perforable closure of the container which holds the medium which is to be delivered, when the closure is punctured the safety body can be pushed back by contact with it out of its advanced protective position on the end of the hypodermic needle into the position of use and after the hypodermic needle is pulled out of the closure can be pushed forward again into the protective position. In this embodiment handling is especially simplified.

[0008] Preferably the protective cover has a finger-grip knob as purchase for twisting the protective cover off of the delivery container.

[0009] As the safety body the safety device can have an annular body which is movably guided on the section of the hypodermic needle which projects out of the closing unit, and the annular body is connected to the closing unit by way of an elastic holding means which produces a holding force, is held by force-fit by the holding force of the holding means in the advanced protective position which covers the end of the hypodermic needle, and can be pushed back against the holding force along the hypodermic needle into the position of use. The indicated annular body on its free face forms an annular broadened contact surface which projects on the forward point of the safety device radially over its other parts and by way of the widened contact surface reliable contact behavior of the annular body with the puncturable point of the container on its removal opening results. Furthermore, as a result of the contact surface, when the perforable closure of the delivery container is punctured the hypodermic needle cannot jam or be damaged on the sensitive tip.

[0010] The holding means can be formed by support elements which are divided by means of joints and which are articulated to the annular body and the closing unit respectively, and which in the protective position extend essentially parallel to the hypodermic needle, and when the annular body is pushed back into the position of use along the hypodermic needle, extend in the position which is spread out from the hypodermic needle.

[0011] Preferably the support elements are rod-like plastic parts which are molded in one piece to the closing unit and which are divided by bending joints over approximately half the length. In this execution the inherent elasticity of the material of the support elements makes it possible for the annular body to be advanced automatically again at least partially against the front end of the hypodermic needle after being pushed back into the position of use, for the annular body therefore to return automatically back into the protective position, or after using the device for it to be advanced simply slightly farther forward. Since the bending joints can completely fold down laterally, the rod-like plastic parts which form the respective bending joint are placed in contact on top of one another so that a high penetration depth of the hypodermic needle into the delivery container can be achieved and also perforable closures with the corresponding thicknesses of the delivery container can thus be punctured in a controlled manner by means of the hypodermic needle.

[0012] In one especially advantageous embodiment the closing unit bears a snap ring which encloses the support elements and which can be removed from the closing unit and can be pushed along the support elements toward their bending joints in order to lock them in the position which corresponds to the protective position. Here there can be catch notches on the bending joints into which the snap ring can snap so that the safety device is detachably locked in the protective position in which the annular body protectively encloses the outer end of the hypodermic needle.

[0013] The delivery container can be a plastic container which has been produced using the known Bottelpack® process; the closing unit as an insert part is inserted into its open end before closing by means of the protective cover.

[0014] The body of the insert part in the central area contains the hypodermic needle which is located continuously in it; its inner end projects slightly out of the body of the closing unit against the interior of the delivery container. The insert part which forms the closing unit between the facing inner end of the hypodermic needle and the medium which is located in the delivery container has a membrane as a blocking element which, if the pressure of the medium which is located in the delivery container is increased, is pressed against the end of the hypodermic needle and is punctured by it.

[0015] The increase of the pressure of the medium and the resulting puncturing of the membrane can be implemented by compressing the delivery container.

[0016] The invention is described in what follows with reference to the embodiment as illustrated in the drawing, in which,

[0017]FIG. 1 shows a side view of one embodiment of the delivery device as claimed in the invention in the operating state before use, i.e., with the protective cover mounted;

[0018]FIG. 2 shows a lengthwise section of the device from FIG. 1;

[0019]FIG. 3 shows a lengthwise section which corresponds to FIG. 2, but with the protective cover removed;

[0020]FIG. 4 shows a lengthwise section of the device in the operating state which has been pushed into the perforable closure stopper of an infusion container;

[0021]FIG. 5 shows a representation similar to FIG. 4, but the delivery container of the device being squeezed out;

[0022]FIG. 6 shows a lengthwise section of the device in the state which has been squeezed out and withdrawn from the closure stopper, and

[0023]FIG. 7 shows a lengthwise section of the device in the state which has been squeezed out and which corresponds to the protective position of the safety device.

[0024] In the figures the delivery container is designated as a whole as 1. It is an ampule-like plastic container which has been produced using the known Bottelpack® process, with a wall 2 which is provided with folds and is made bellows-like, so that the delivery container 1 can be squeezed out of the configuration which is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, see FIGS. 5 to 7. In the neck area a closing unit 3 is inserted into the delivery container 1 as an insert part; several components are molded onto the body of the closing unit which is molded from plastic. Among others, this is the safety device 17 which for its part (before using the delivery device) is protected by a protective cover 5 which is molded on at a predetermined breakage point 7, see FIGS. 1 and 3, to the body of the delivery container 1 and has a laterally projecting finger-grip knob 9 which is used as purchase to twist the protective cover 5 off the delivery container 1 at the predetermined breakage point 7. FIG. 3 shows the same operating state of the device as FIGS. 1 and 2, but with the protective cover 5 removed.

[0025] As is especially apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3, the body of the closing unit 3 in the central area is penetrated by the hypodermic 11 needle; its inner end 12 projects slightly to the inside over the body of the closing unit 3. Between the inner end 12 of the hypodermic needle 11 and the interior of the delivery container 1 there is a membrane 13 which is part of the insert part of the closing unit 3.

[0026] The hypodermic needle extends from the outer end of the body of the closing unit 3 to a length which corresponds approximately to the length of the syringe hypodermic needle. FIGS. 2, 3, and 7 show operating states in which the projecting outer end 15 of the hypodermic 11 needle is covered, i.e., protected, by a safety device which is in its protective position and which is designated as a whole as 17.

[0027] The safety device 17 is molded in one piece to the body of the closing unit 3 and has an annular body 19 which can be moved on the hypodermic needle 11 and is located in the protective position, see FIGS. 2, 3, and 7, on the outer end 15 of the hypodermic needle 11 in order to cover this end of the hypodermic needle, i.e., the tip of the needle. The annular body 19 is connected in one piece to the body of the closing unit 3 by way of support elements 21 of a rod-like shape which are molded on in one piece, the connecting points to the annular body 19 and the body of the closing unit 3 being flexible in the manner of bending joints. In addition, over approximately half of the length of the support elements 21 there are bending joints which divide the support elements 21. If the annular body 19 is pushed out of the protective position into the position of use of the device along the hypodermic needle 11, see FIGS. 5 and 6, the sections of the support elements 21 which border the bending joints 23 swivel so that they are spread out from the hypodermic needle 11 and are thus folded as is shown in FIG. 5.

[0028] The latter FIG. 5 and FIG. 4 show the device in the state in which the hypodermic needle 11 with its front end 15 has punctured the perforable closure 25 of an infusion container 26. Here the annular body 19 is pushed back into the position of use along the hypodermic needle 11 out of the protective position which is aligned to the end 15 of the hypodermic needle. By compressing the bellows-like wall 2 of the delivery container 1 (see FIG. 5) the pressure of the medium it contains has been increased so that the membrane 13 is pressed against the facing end 12 of the hypodermic needle 11 and is punctured by it. Compressing the delivery container 1 thus leads to the medium contained in it being squeezed out into the infusion container 26 so that a dose of an additive or active ingredient which corresponds to the contents of the delivery container 1 is added to the contents of the infusion container 26.

[0029]FIG. 6 shows the operating state after the device with the delivery container 1 squeezed out is withdrawn again from the closure 25 of the infusion container 26. As a result of the inherent elasticity of the support elements 21, the annular body 19 which has been pushed back beforehand out of the protective position, when the hypodermic needle is inserted into the closure 25, by contact therewith against the elasticity or holding force of the support elements 21, is automatically advanced again by the force of elasticity in part against the end 15 of the hypodermic needle.

[0030]FIG. 7 shows the operating state of the device after its completed use, the projecting outer end 15 of the hypodermic needle 11 being secured again by the safety device 17, although the protective cover 5 is no longer mounted. For this purpose a snap ring 29 which sits removably on the body of the closing unit 3 is removed from the closing unit and is advanced along the hypodermic needle 11, its sliding over the support elements 21 and bringing them out of the position shown in FIG. 6 to the hypodermic needle 11, the annular body 19 being advanced as far as the end 15 of the hypodermic needle 11. On the bending joints 23 the support elements 21 have molded catch notches 30 into which the snap ring 29 fits, see FIG. 7.

[0031] After the snap ring 29 catches in the catch notches 30 on the bending joints 23 of the support elements 21, the hypodermic needle 11 is covered in turn by the annular body 19 which covers its end, in spite of the removed protective cover 5, so that the now emptied device can be safely disposed of. It goes without saying that the delivery device as claimed in the invention can be advantageously used not only for adding the desired volumes of liquid media to infusion containers, but can be used equally for the delivery of liquid or gaseous and/or particle-laden media, to the extent their delivery by way of hypodermic needles is possible or necessary. 

1. A device for distributing substances, with a delivery container (1) which holds the pertinent medium, with a closing unit (3) which has a hypodermic needle (11) for the medium to be delivered, with its outer end (15) projecting out of the closing unit (3), and with a safety device (5, 17) which can be moved out of the active protective state which covers the outer end (15) of the hypodermic needle (11) into the inactive state of use which is intended for delivery of the medium from the hypodermic needle (11), and has a safety body (19) which can be pushed back out of the advanced protective position on the end (15) of the hypodermic needle (11) into the position of use and can be pushed forward again into the protective position, characterized in that the safety device (5, 17) has a protective cover (5) which can be removed from the delivery container (1), which encloses the projecting end (15) of the hypodermic needle (11) and is connected to the delivery means by way of a predetermined breakage point (7).
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer end (15) of the hypodermic needle (11) is designed to penetrate the perforable closure (15) of the container (26) which holds the medium which is to be delivered and wherein when the closure (25) is punctured the safety body (19) can be pushed back by contact with it out of its advanced protective position into the position of use.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the protective cover (5) has a finger-grip knob (9) as purchase for twisting the protective cover (5) off of the delivery container (1).
 4. The device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the safety body (19) of the safety device (5, 17) is formed by an annular body (19) which is movably guided on the section of the hypodermic needle (11) which projects out of the closing unit (3), and the annular body is connected to the closing unit (3) by way of an elastic holding means (21) which produces a holding force, is held by force-fit by the holding force of the holding means in the advanced protective position which covers the end (15) of the hypodermic needle (11) and can be pushed back against the holding force along the hypodermic needle (11) into the position of use.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the holding means has support elements (21) which are divided by joints and which are articulated to the annular body (19) and the closing unit (3), and which in the protective position extend more or less parallel to the hypodermic needle (11), and in the position of use extend in the position which is spread out from the hypodermic needle.
 6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the support elements (21) extend in one piece running from the closing unit (3) to the annular body (19) and are divided at approximately half the length by bending joints (23).
 7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the closing unit (3) bears a snap ring (29) which encloses the support elements (21), which can be removed from the closing unit (3), and which can be pushed along the support elements (21) toward their bending joints (23) in order to lock them in the position which corresponds to the protective position.
 8. The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the closing unit (3) has a membrane (13) which between the medium which is located in the delivery container (1) and the facing inner end (12) of the hypodermic needle (11) forms a blocking element which can be pressed against the end (12) of the hypodermic needle (11) when the pressure of the medium is increased and can be punctured by the hypodermic needle.
 9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the delivery container (1) has a deformable wall (2) and can be compressed for increasing the pressure of the medium which causes puncturing of the membrane (13).
 10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the wall (2) of the delivery container (1) is made in the manner of a folding bellows. 